Crain's Cleveland Business articles from December 2007

Crain's Cleveland Business archives from December 2007

THE WEEK: NOVEMBER 26 - DECEMBER 2.(The Insider)
December 3, 2007... The big story: Lyle G. Ganske will take over as partner-in-charge of the Jones Day law firm's Cleveland office, effective Jan. 1. Mr. Ganske succeeds Robert H. Rawson Jr., who has spent his entire career with the firm and 15 years as...

BARED BONES; Natural history museum, CWRU create licensing framework for skeleton collection.(Case Western Reserve University)(Cleveland Museum of Natural History (Cleveland, Ohio))
December 3, 2007... Byline: CHUCK SODER Thousands of skeletons are being put to work on behalf of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and Case Western Reserve University. The museum last month began requiring some form of payment from companies that...

WomenSafe's the Green House.(Health Care)
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHARON SCHNALL The October opening of a new domestic violence shelter in Geauga County not only represents an enhancement of the services offered by the nonprofit WomenSafe Inc., it signals a new era for the organization. ...

GETTING IN SHAPE; Medical centers' fitness facilities packing a punch with their extensive equipment, spa amenities.(Health Care)
December 3, 2007... Byline: CHRISSY KADLECK Imagine hitting your target heart rate in a therapy pool with a built-in underwater treadmill, taking part in a heart-healthy cooking demonstration or enjoying an after-workout Vichy shower massage. These three...

Foreclosure mess leads to surge in Chapter 13s; Rules allow debtors to stay in their homes.(News)
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER Chapter 13 filings in Northeast Ohio's bankruptcy courts have surged this year, caused partly by desperate homeowners looking to the move as a way to stave off foreclosure. Through Oct. 31, a total of 7,138...

Site allows docs to chat, compare notes via the web.(Health Care)
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND A Cleveland company has doctors and researchers from around the world going to an online "mall'' of sorts to find information on their peers and research, and even to refer patients. Within3 is a startup that...

Flat-out good.(Opinion)
December 3, 2007... This isn't an endorsement for president, but we find a lot to like about the tax reform plan put forth late last month by Republican candidate Fred Thompson. The federal tax code has become riddled with loopholes that serve the needs of...

The Big Issue.(Opinion)(Brief article)
December 3, 2007... Should the state require utilities to make some electricity from alternative energy sources? Beth Roberts Cleveland I think that the electrical companies should look at wind power in addition to what they are doing now. Jose...

Web biz Brulant surfing for acquisition candidates.(News)
December 3, 2007... Byline: CHUCK SODER Brulant Inc. has manufactured plenty of its own growth. Now it wants to go out and buy some. The Beachwood provider of web development and marketing services is on the prowl to acquire other companies after growing...

Judge's ruling prevents RSM from soliciting former affiliate's clients.(News)
December 3, 2007... Byline: JAY MILLER A group of local accountants who recently opened their doors as Maloney+Novotny LLC has won a court victory that gives their effort to establish their business a big boost. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Boyko...

The Week in Quotes.(News)(Quotation)
December 3, 2007... "It's our responsibility to make sure this collection is here in 100 years, in 200 years.'' - Bruce Latimer, executive director, Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Page One "This year's sales are poor, therefore the dip is going to...

Late News.
December 3, 2007... OLD TOPS COMPLEX MAY GET NEW LIFE * Look for the former Tops grocery warehouse in Maple Heights to become a multitenant industrial park when Equity Industrial Partners Inc. of Needham, Mass., completes the looming purchase of the property....

Holiday not as jolly for many area retailers; Energy costs, mortgage refinancing dropoff among factors limiting shoppers' spending.
December 3, 2007... Byline: JOHN BOOTH Could be a lot of coal in retailers' stockings come Christmas morning. A hot-and-cold Black Friday weekend, coupled with some none-too-cheery economic indicators, isn't doing much to brighten prospects for what...

Program offerings tailored for kids touched by cancer.(Health Care)
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHARON SCHNALL Adults, diagnosed with cancer, struggle with telling a child about their condition, and as recently as the late 1980s, children routinely would not be informed, educated or updated about a parent's or significant...

20 in their 20s.
December 3, 2007... Attention, all young up-and-comers. The time is coming to turn the spotlight on you. Crain's is seeking nominations for our Twenty in Their 20s feature, which runs in the April 28, 2008, issue. There's no nomination form to fill out....

Familiar face aims to rebuild distributor's once-strong local ties; Phillips Contractors' former VP back, quickly works to re-establish firm's presence in region.(News)
December 3, 2007... Byline: DAVID BENNETT Though James Beckett has been on the job a little more than a month, he knows the name of every employee at Phillips Contractors Supply. He also can describe every photograph on each wall and knows details about many...

Giving Back.(News)
December 3, 2007... In conjunction with the Dec. 24 "Work & Play: Giving Back'' section, Crain's Cleveland Business plans to publish an online list of ways to help area nonprofits. To be included, nonprofit organizations should send the following - organization...

The Gathering Place helps teen open up about her experience.(Health Care)(Brief article)
December 3, 2007... Byline: Sharon Schnall Caitlyn Falasco, 17, remembers how she talked about herself and her mother's cancer before receiving help from a high school counselor and going to The Gathering Place of Beachwood. "I wouldn't be like, `Hello,...

Banks seeing demand for home equity loans slowing.
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER The home equity well is showing signs of running dry for some banks in Northeast Ohio. Demand for home equity loans and lines of credit has waned during the past year, the result of declining home values,...

Going Places.(People)
December 3, 2007... Job Changes Distribution APPLIED INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES: Richard Killius to director of global business unit operations and acquisitions. Engineering PIONEER SOLUTIONS LLC: Chris Althausen to manager of sales; Ron DeCamp to...

Reporters' Notebook; Behind the news with Crain's writers.(The Insider)(Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is making fundraising efforts)(Dworken & Bernstein Company won its class action lawsuit against Grange Mutual Insurance Company)(EBO Group )
December 3, 2007... Showing the mayor some love, and some cash * Election Day is a long way off for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, but it looks like he's reviving his fundraising efforts. The Zashin & Rich law firm is holding a reception Dec. 12 at its 55...

Kent officials seek further KSU, city unity; Developer sought for small-scale `lifestyle center' that could include retail, hotel/conference center.(News)(Kent State University)
December 3, 2007... Byline: JAY MILLER The Kent community is trying to bring town and gown back together. The Portage County city and its dominant force, Kent State University, are looking for a developer who will use a roughly three-acre parcel to bring...

COSE: More small companies offering wellness plans.(News)
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND The Council of Smaller Enterprises is seeing more small companies implement wellness programs for employees, an effort that traditionally has been reserved for medium-size and large firms. Some of the increased...

N.Y. firm secures Sheffield, Amherst centers for $26M.(News)
December 3, 2007... Byline: STAN BULLARD Silverman Realty Group, a real estate company based in White Plains, N.Y., is the new owner of the Sheffield Crossing and Amherst Marketplace shopping centers in Lorain County after completing a $26 million...

MILESTONES.(The Insider)
December 3, 2007... COMPANY: Mapleside Farms THE OCCASION: Its 80th anniversary Elmer and Clara Eyssen in 1927 bought the Brunswick property where Mapleside now sits after deciding to move to the country from Lakewood. The company now is in a third...

Culturally competent care a collaborative task.(Health Care)(United States. Department of Labor)
December 3, 2007... Byline: Ronald Copeland Diversity will always be a defining characteristic of American society. From our earliest years as a nation through today, we are continually enriched by the expanding variety of cultures that make up our...

GROWING WITH THE FLOW; As expectations and responsibilities of college presidents continue to expand, many are compensated accordingly.(Insight)
December 3, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND There's money to be made if you're a college president - especially in Northeast Ohio. Presidents at some of the area's public and private institutions have been among the highest paid in the country, according...

Employers waking up to effects of workers' sleep problems.(Health Care)
December 3, 2007... Byline: JENNIFER KEIRN A handful of employers are waking up to the fact that sleep quality no longer is an issue for workers to leave back home with their pajamas and slippers. A growing awareness of the risks and warning signs of...

Need a few golf outing tips? Read on.(Opinion)
December 3, 2007... Byline: Brian Tucker So you're the newly appointed chair of the local Jaycees or Kiwanis chapter, or a new board member of a local nonprofit agency or organization. Bask in the glow of the countless seconds of congratulations. ...

Playhouse Square Foundation adds to Theater District stable.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: STAN BULLARD Playhouse Square Foundation, operator of the restored theaters in downtown Cleveland and producer of property makeovers in the city's Theater District, is the new owner of the long-vacant former Cowell & Hubbard...

Call-back software keeps Virtual Hold's line busy.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: CHUCK SODER A coffee break isn't the social experience it used to be for Mark Williams, president of Virtual Hold Technology LLC. The software company in Copley Township has doubled its staff and tripled its revenue during the...

CHOICE BITS; Excerpts from recent Editor's Choice blog entries on CrainsCleveland.com.(Briefs)(Excerpt)
December 10, 2007... Elizabeth Kucinich loves her big stud * You won't read a more off-putting feature story in a major American newspaper than a Dec. 5 Washington Post piece about Cleveland's very own presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich. The piece,...

The Week in Quotes.(News)(Quotation)
December 10, 2007... "With so much to gain... in the renewable energy industry, we should strive to enact a policy that will put us on an equal playing field with the other 25 states that have enacted standards.'' - Erin Bowser, director, Environment Ohio....

A bargain he didn't bargain for.(Opinion)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brian Tucker Perhaps it's a bit cynical, which is more than difficult this happy time of the year, but I'm impressed, and even a bit shocked, when I run across a business that doesn't exploit an unexpected volume of new customers....

WIND BEHIND THEIR BACKS; Despite Ohio's inertia, makers of advanced energy equipment see fortunes rise as interest in sustainable power picks up elsewhere.
December 10, 2007... Byline: DAVID BENNETT dbennett@crain.com A favorable wind is driving business at John Walsh's company - and he expects it to continue to blow his way with or without a hand from the state of Ohio. Mr. Walsh is president of Avon...

Late News.
December 10, 2007... METAL STAMPER TO ADD EQUIPMENT, PROCESS * Anchor Manufacturing Group Inc. in Cleveland has won a $500,000 Cuyahoga County loan that will allow the company to bring in-house grinding work that's now outsourced. The 2%, seven-year loan will...

Ownership stability helps MAI thrive; Investment management emphasis also credited.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER When he first received the call in March 2006 from an investment banker who was shopping what was then McCormack Advisors International in Cleveland, former Victory Capital Management CEO Rick Buoncore admits he was...

Political policy.(News)
December 10, 2007... For 15 years, Sen. Sherrod Brown has shunned his government-subsidized medical plan in support of his constituents and universal health care. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants Congress to enact universal health care not only because he thinks...

McDonald Hopkins hires white-collar group leader.(News)(McDonald, Hopkins and Hardy Co.)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER Cleveland law firm McDonald Hopkins LLC has turned to an old friend in starting a white-collar crime, antitrust and securities legislation practice group. The firm has recruited Edmund Searby to fill the...

PowerSport Institute to roll into empty Randall Park Mall space.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Ohio Technical College is renovating the former J.C. Penney building at Randall Park Mall to become the new home of its PowerSport Institute. The 210,000-square-foot building is slated to open in February and...

FINDING BALANCE; First hires, marketing top first-year challenges for entrepreneurs.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... Byline: JENNIFER KEIRN If you define an entrepreneur as someone who sees things others don't, then the first year of business is when that entrepreneurial eyesight is most keen. Yet for all the focus and passion entrepreneurs bring to...

Proposed rules could impact choice of business entity.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Carl Grassi Today's entrepreneur has two primary options when choosing the type of business entity to use in operating a business: a limited liability company (LLC) or an S corporation. While the S corporation remains a popular...

Giving back.(News)
December 10, 2007... In conjunction with the Dec. 24 "Work & Play: Giving Back'' section, Crain's Cleveland Business plans to publish an online list of ways to help area nonprofits. To be included, nonprofit organizations should send the following - organization...

The Big Issue.(Opinion)(Brief article)
December 10, 2007... Are you glad Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman is going to challenge the incumbent Dennis Kucinich to represent Ohio's 10th Congressional district? Christa Ebert Cleveland I don't have an opinion, but I think I would vote...

Grand Openings.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... The Powder Room ETON on Chagrin Boulevard 28699 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 640 Woodmere 44122 The Powder Room offers concierge-style service, specializing in professional makeup services, skin care treatments and cosmetic and skin care...

Dan Pribanic, CHAGRIN RIVER OUTFITTERS.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Keirn * BUSINESS NAME: Chagrin River Outfitters * BUSINESS LOCATION: Chagrin Falls * BUSINESS TYPE: Specialty fly-fishing and apparel shop * BUSINESS START DATE: June 2006 * BIGGEST MISTAKE: "I think I...

BRENDA BALS, THE CLEVELAND CANINE.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Keirn * BUSINESS NAME: The Cleveland Canine * BUSINESS LOCATION: Avon * BUSINESS TYPE: Bimonthly newspaper for Northeast Ohio dog lovers * BUSINESS START DATE: July 2006 * BIGGEST MISTAKE: "I've been very...

VALERIE LOBAS, MY BEST FRIEND'S CLOSET.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Keirn * BUSINESS NAME: My Best Friend's Closet * BUSINESS LOCATION: Seven Hills * BUSINESS TYPE: By-appointment designer dress rentals and sales * BUSINESS START DATE: September 2006 * BIGGEST MISTAKE: "My...

DEFINITELY NOT A DRAG; Summit Racing's new retail store layout bucks trend of traditionally bland auto supply shops.(Insight)
December 10, 2007... Byline: JOHN BOOTH On the cusp of turning 40, Summit Racing Equipment probably is old enough to be considered a classic. Still, even the best engines can use some tinkering, as evidenced by a coming overhaul of the Tallmadge company's...

Chancellor, commission agree: State universities must produce more grads.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Increase the educational attainment of Ohioans. Make a college education more affordable. Raise the quality of the state's public colleges and universities. Play a greater role in economic leadership....

Athletic club prepping to file Ch. 11.
December 10, 2007... Byline: JAY MILLER The Cleveland Athletic Club is close to filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Club members are expected to meet this Wednesday, Dec. 12, to hear club president Harry McDonald lay out the club's financial...

Crain's calls for up-and-comers.(News)
December 10, 2007... Attention, all young up-and-comers. The time is coming to turn the spotlight on you. Crain's is seeking nominations for our Twenty in Their 20s feature, which runs in the April 28, 2008, issue. There's no nomination form to fill out....

Going Places.(People)
December 10, 2007... Job Changes Architecture CBLH DESIGN: Jae D. Cho to project manager; L. Reed Carpenter Jr. to construction manager; David E. Bobkovich to CAD/IT manager. Education CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: Ly'Nette Cordaro to associate...

New 1100 Superior owner wooed by redo; With skyscraper's vacancy tumbling down, Illinois firm scoops up `one of nicest buildings in the city'.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: STAN BULLARD American Landmark Properties Ltd., a real estate investment company that owns a stake in Chicago's Sears Tower, is the new owner of 1100 Superior, a skyscraper with that name and address in downtown Cleveland. "We...

Partnership proposes state policy with focus on alternative energy.(News)
December 10, 2007... With the debate over a state energy bill entering what it called "a critical stage,'' the Greater Cleveland Partnership has come out with its own proposal for a state energy policy that includes an emphasis on fostering development of...

What's New.(The Insider)
December 10, 2007... COMPANY: AG Interactive Inc., Brooklyn PRODUCT: Customizable photo paper cards The eCard division of American Greetings Corp. has launched a line of seasonal cards that will wind up in an old-fashioned place - customers' postal...

Reporters' Notebook; Behind the news with Crain's writers.(The Insider)
December 10, 2007... This spa does to towels what Quizno's does to subs * From shiny shoes to toasty towels: The local company behind the Buff'n Shine shoe polisher has launched a new product, the Towel Spa, through upscale retailer Brookstone and its catalog...

THE WEEK: December 3 - 9.(The Insider)
December 10, 2007... The big story: The board of Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. gave a big thumbs up to a plan that will keep the company's headquarters and its nearly 3,000 jobs in Akron. A tentative agreement between Goodyear and Industrial Realty Group of Los...

Tax Liens.(News)
December 10, 2007... The Internal Revenue Service filed tax liens against the following businesses in the Cuyahoga County Recorder's Office. The IRS files a tax lien to protect the interests of the federal government. The lien is a public notice to creditors that...

Good going.(Opinion)
December 10, 2007... Big companies that are based elsewhere aren't falling over themselves to bring their headquarters to Northeast Ohio. It's critical, then, to hold on to the corporate giants that already call our piece of the globe home, which is why the work...

Short Takes.(Briefs)
December 10, 2007... * NEW DIGS: Rossio & Pfister Fine Jewelry has relocated to the first floor of the Galleria, across the hall from Dollar Bank. The store previously had been located in the City Club Building for 78 years. Greater accessibility and exposure along...

Take note of changes to immigration form.(Small Business)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Michael Sharon An immigration form with which every U.S. employer must be familiar has just been revised after functioning substantially unchanged for almost 16 years. On Nov. 7, the United States Citizenship and Immigration...

Cleveland media bracing for wave of change.(Opinion)
December 10, 2007... Byline: DEAN CUMMINGS Convergence is coming! Convergence is coming! You can hear the rumbles in the distance of a sea change that is about to occur in Cleveland. The impact of technological innovations and economic necessity will bring...

Letter.(Letters)
December 10, 2007... Pay heed to energy bill debate Recent news has reported on Ohio's pending energy policy legislation, Senate Bill 221. As Ohio's Consumers' Counsel, the state's residential utility consumer advocate, we have recommended needed changes that...

Cabela's could lure big project to Brunswick.
December 10, 2007... Byline: STAN BULLARD If the city of Brunswick bags a famed Cabela's sporting goods store, the Medina County community also would land a $100 million shopping center that real estate developer Richard E. Jacobs Group wants to create. ...

Hospitals taking extra care in preventing infections.(News)
December 10, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Mothers have always told children to wash their hands, but now hospitals are reinforcing the practice to medical workers, patients and visitors. Hand hygiene is one of the biggest efforts hospitals are making...

Cliffs takeover rumors still circulating.(News)
December 17, 2007... Byline: DAVID BENNETT For more than a year, rumors circulated on Wall Street that Cleveland-based iron ore producer Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. was an attractive takeover candidate. Now, consolidation in the global mining industry combined with...

Teleradiology firm grows with deal, overseas goal.(News)(Brief article)
December 17, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Teleradiology firm Franklin & Seidelmann this year significantly boosted its roster of radiologists and plans more growth in 2008. The Beachwood-based firm this year hired 31 radiologists and is in talks with...

Late News.(briefs)
December 17, 2007... ATHLETIC CLUB MEMBERS BACK CHAPTER 11 FILING * The Cleveland Athletic Club's membership has agreed to support a Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization to allow the 99-year-old club to stay in operation at its Playhouse Square location. At a...

Nonprofit employees' retirement plans could start to resemble 401(k)s.(Finance)
December 17, 2007... Byline: SHAWN A. TURNER 403(b), meet 401(k). Financial planners in Northeast Ohio say that the 403(b) retirement plans used by teachers, hospital workers and other nonprofit employees will start looking a lot more like 401(k) plans...

THE WEEK: December 10 - 16.(briefs)
December 17, 2007... The big story: KeyCorp, National City, FirstMerit, Huntington and Dollar Bank were among the banks that lowered their prime lending rates one-quarter point after the Federal Reserve's move to reduce the federal funds rate by a like amount, to...

The Week in Quotes.(News)(Quotation)
December 17, 2007... "We believe it (small business lending) is the future of our business and the future of our region to a degree.'' - Jerry Kelsheimer, president, Northern Ohio region of Huntington Bancshares Inc. Page One "Borrowers would be better off...

Reporters' Notebook; Behind the news with Crain's writers.(The Insider)
December 17, 2007... Venture cap opportunities entice St. Louis firm * Northeast Ohio's expanding biosciences sector and the Ohio Capital Fund have attracted another venture capital firm to Cleveland. RiverVest Venture Partners, a St. Louis firm that...

Centers set to wrestle fitness rival for East Side.(News)
December 17, 2007... Byline: STAN BULLARD A drum roll percolates. "Let's get ready to rumble,'' bellows a deep-throated announcer. "Let's get ready for the clash of the fitness titans!'' Preparing to take a spot in one corner of the ring is the new kid on...

Charitable donations can give back to corporations.(Finance)
December 17, 2007... Byline: Dan Hursh With Congress looking for more ways to raise funds and repair the impact of the alternative minimum tax, deductions are becoming more difficult to find. But contributions to charities - that is, 501(c)(3) organizations -...

Short Takes.(Briefs)(Survey)(Brief article)
December 17, 2007... * CBIZ SALE: Business services provider CBiz Inc. has sold a New Jersey-based provider of accounting and enterprise wealth management services. CBiz indicated it expects to record a $7.3 million pre-tax gain in the fourth quarter on the sale of...

HKM inks deal on print shop purchase; Print One acquisition brings 22 employees, equipment and $3 million in new business.(News)(HKM Direct Market Communications Inc.)
December 17, 2007... Byline: JOHN BOOTH HKM Direct Market Communications added 22 employees and more than $3 million in new business last week by hiring the principals and most of the staff of Print One Digital in Valley View, which closed its doors Nov. 30....

This column's for Bud, and for you.(Opinion)(Column)
December 17, 2007... Byline: Brian Tucker To: Foster G. "Bud'' Nauffts Dear Bud: Well, dear friend, it's been a couple months since we played our last round of golf and you told me about that pain in your stomach. We now know that it's cancer of the...

Uneasy investors could turn to gold.(Finance)
December 17, 2007... Byline: HARRIET TRAMER The dollar remains down against all other major currencies, and the stock market is experiencing volatility. So, it would appear that the economic stars are perfectly aligned for the price of gold to surge above its...

FINDING A RHYTHM; The Clinic's $506M Heart and Vascular Institute is still taking shape, but integration within specialties is already a high priority.(Insight)
December 17, 2007... Byline: SHANNON MORTLAND Bruce Lytle has an enormous task ahead of him. With the Cleveland Clinic's $506 million heart hospital taking shape as the new front door of the hospital system's main campus, Dr. Lytle must figure out how to...

Change paths.(Opinion)
December 17, 2007... Even before Barbara Sykes was appointed last October as its chairwoman, the Ohio Civil Rights Commission was headed down the wrong path with the state maternity leave policy it was concocting. We hope Ms. Sykes' decision last week to resign her...

Going Places.(People)
December 17, 2007... Job Changes Distribution NACSCORP: Harvey Pratt to application developer; Terri Squires to key account manager; Beth VonKamp to packing/shipping specialist. Education LAKE ERIE COLLEGE: Greg Stocks to men's lacrosse coach. ...

FOGGY Fortunes; Payday lenders' futures unclear as efforts persist to cap interest rates, limit number of locations.(Finance)
December 17, 2007... Byline: KATHY AMES CARR Thousands of jobs could be eliminated and hundreds of storefronts shuttered if Ohio's payday lending industry shuts down, according to a lobbyist for the state's short-term, high-interest loan sector. Increased...

Correction.(Correction notice)
December 17, 2007... A Dec. 3, Page 6 story contained incorrect information about past employee reductions at Brulant Inc. The Beachwood interactive marketing firm laid off no employees in 2002, though 15 left for another company, reducing its employee count to...